Venue: Ford Quarry complex, Keelman's Lane, Sunderland SR4 0EH
Kickoff: 14:30 Saturday 14 October 2017
Competition: TWR Shipowners Charity Cup - Round 2
Weather: mainly dry but overcast, mild, breezy, 17°
LOCATION REPORT
SatNav: SR4 0EH (signs for Quarry View playing fields)
Staff: gate + clubhouse
Parking: large car park, 150+ spaces (plus space on long service road outside)
Public transport: Metro station is South Hylton (end of the line); bus #10 to Grangetown (from turning circle on St Luke's Road) or #20 to the city centre.
Staff: gate + clubhouse
Parking: large car park, 150+ spaces (plus space on long service road outside)
Public transport: Metro station is South Hylton (end of the line); bus #10 to Grangetown (from turning circle on St Luke's Road) or #20 to the city centre.
Entry: £2 (£1 kids & concessions)
Refreshments: snack bar (absolutely brilliant for this level of club)
Toilets: in club building
Stands/Terraces: metal lean-on barrier all round pitchside
Toilets: in club building
Stands/Terraces: metal lean-on barrier all round pitchside
Programmes: no
Floodlights: no
Floodlights: no
MATCH REPORT
Approx crowd: 40+ (all ages including kiddies and pushchairs, several dogs)
Full-time [h/t] score (colours):
2 [2] Sunderland West End (red/white)
2 [1] Redcar Athletic (white/blue)
2 [2] Sunderland West End (red/white)
2 [1] Redcar Athletic (white/blue)
Sunderland West End win 11-10 on penalties
Bookings: 1 (West End)
Sent Off: 0
Sent Off: 0
NORVENMUNKI's COMMENTS
From up here, the views of the River Wear are excellent: a high vista across the sprawling city to the north.
There's a large car park and ground site, with plenty of parking space and room for a massive crowd. The staff take your entry fee as you drive in through the gates and it all feels very well-organised.
Nearby, there's an ISO container unit in the car park, which a couple of kids climb onto for a dare (and that's a bit risky in this blustery wind)!
It's typically autumnal up here, so I get a coffee from the excellent snack bar. This kiosk is an absolutely brilliant facility for this level of club, and the staff are very friendly...and crucially the coffee is pretty decent too. The lady tries to charm me into a hotdog, her personal recommendation. If the chilly wind gets too much, I'll be back over for another £1 coffee later, no doubt.
On the way here, I saw several double decker buses heading along the main road displaying 'Football Special' service. I was amazed that the West End following was so large.
Of course, in reality, they were bound for the Stadium of Light, standing proudly across the river. The crowd here is maybe a tad depleted if there's a Sunderland home game on?
Still, they are every bit as vocal and partisan and the famous Black Cats fans (remembering my last experience of West End fans at Prudhoe recently).
Still, they are every bit as vocal and partisan and the famous Black Cats fans (remembering my last experience of West End fans at Prudhoe recently).
Today's match is Round 2 of the league cup competition. Previously, West End had a great first-round result beating Cleator Moor (who are currently league leaders and impressive pacesetters) on penalties here at home. Meanwhile, today's visitors from Redcar beat Darlington Reserves on penalties at home: coincidentally, in the match that I watched down in Redcar!
The skies are overcast. It was raining this morning and it's damp underfoot. Hopefully this will give some zip to the pitch and keep the pace up.
The teams are out. The game commences.
It's an even game, but Redcar get the better early chances. The West End forward line was so impressive last time I saw them, but so far they have been marked out of the game.
The site is open to one side, emptying out on to the open playing fields adjacent. Every time the ball runs out of play, it needs to be retrieved at a distance by someone and a replacement ball permanently ready.
It's getting windier. A car drives round to the off side (where I'm standing) and parks on the grass, the occupants keeping warm whilst enjoying a perfect pitch side view!
After 8 minutes, Redcar score. They force a couple of corners and a scramble in the box leads to an opener for the visitors.
It's certainly physical. A crunching Sunderland tackle on the touchline earns the reds' player a talking-to from referee but there's no card shown.
The goal has livened up the home team, and they are putting together some great one-touch moves, reminiscent of what I saw last time.
Redcar are giving no quarter, and a clear shoulder barge by the big white #10 earns him a reprimand from the referee too.
West End are cranking it up. A neat move through middle ends in a shot being touched on to the post by the Redcar keeper, who's getting busier now.
Soon after, the red striker is sandwiched between two Redcar defenders on the edge of the box; earning a free kick, but it's a disappointing waste.
West End are cranking it up. A neat move through middle ends in a shot being touched on to the post by the Redcar keeper, who's getting busier now.
Soon after, the red striker is sandwiched between two Redcar defenders on the edge of the box; earning a free kick, but it's a disappointing waste.
After 30 minutes, an equaliser. It's deserved on the balance of play. A free kick, in from the left side, comes back to West End player who rifles his left foot shot into the bottom corner from outside the box. A nice finish. Game on!
As you run your gaze around the open panorama here, you can see the Penshaw Monument.
The game ebbs and flows, but West End are the more inventive. A clever move ends in the away keeper turning round the post. Then another corner, but no joy. The Redcar approach is to defend deep and hit long for counter attacks, so the West End back-line needs to avoid being caught too far forward.
With half-time approaching, both sides want the advantage at the break. A long punt forward for West End sees the lively striker speed to it, facing down the Redcar keeper, who fluffs his clearance. The Sunderland striker is first to react, placing a pass back in to the box for his on-coming colleague to slip home from 20 yards. 2-1.
It's almost half-time, but Redcar have time to respond. The West End centreback #5 has been off the pace all match and he drags down the Redcar attacker on the edge of his own box: risky. The free kick is wasted though, so he's a lucky boy.
Just moments later, he does it again, earning a lengthy warning from the referee but, luckily again, no card. The free kick for Redcar sails in to the six-yard area but their big striker sends a free header high over the bar. A gilt edge chance and a bad miss.
Just moments later, he does it again, earning a lengthy warning from the referee but, luckily again, no card. The free kick for Redcar sails in to the six-yard area but their big striker sends a free header high over the bar. A gilt edge chance and a bad miss.
It's half time. Finally. 2-1.
I grab that second coffee. It's actually unexpectedly mild weather now, seeing as it's mid-October, but the elevated position is subject to the wind up the valley, so I don't need my coat, which I left in the car, but my fingers are a bit cold though.
Talking to the clubhouse staff, I complement them on the facilities and I am told they are actually having to move at the end of the season, so the site can be redeveloped with a transport hub. Yet, he proudly claims: "We'll be back". It all feels like a nice community venture, so I hope it works out for them.
The teams are back out and the second half commences. West End have brought on a substitute.
Within two minutes of the restart, it's all square. A Redcar attack down their left is initially thwarted, as the ball goes out for a throw, but the Redcar thrower launches a long throw into the box and a weak clearance goes to the Redcar man on the edge of the area, who volleys in neatly, right footed, with the keeper rooted to the ground. Instant positivity from Redcar, but West End's previous spirit from the close of the first half hasn't come back out yet!
There's natural frustration from the home boys, but no recriminations. The players gee up each other.
There's loads of time yet, but they need a bit of composure in the forward third. A few stray tackles disrupt their own flow, so the referee reminds them to calm down. It's been reffed well so far, no cards and even handed advantages played.
There's loads of time yet, but they need a bit of composure in the forward third. A few stray tackles disrupt their own flow, so the referee reminds them to calm down. It's been reffed well so far, no cards and even handed advantages played.
The kids having a kickabout next to the pitch keep knocking their ball on to the match pitch. It happens four times in quick succession. The ref kicks their green ball into the car park and asks the watching adults to keep an eye on things.
West End push forward. The newly introduced sub gets a chance one-on-one, but the Redcar keeper is out quickly and smothers. Then, moments later, another West End chance, but the keeper claims again. The home players and bench are getting increasingly agitated.
So far, it's a mirror image of first half: with pressure building from the visitors and the home side hitting them on a speedy counter-attack.
The physicality finally spills over. A couple of strong challenges fly in, but the ref again lets it go as he has done most of the game. Still, now the rattled West End centreback raises a hand to his tackler. The referee reckons this is a step beyond the tolerable and shows the first yellow of the match.
Redcar go forward. The West End keeper is out swiftly, but his colleagues are angry that the attacker leaves an arm in. The two players shake and acknowledge: it's a contact sport.
Then another foul by the home side. The Redcar free kick is blocked...then West End counter but that fizzles out...then Redcar counter but no end product...then Sunderland again but a deep cross is headed wastefully over.
The game is really in the balance here, it's end-to-end stuff.
A breather now, as subs come on for both sides. Could fresh legs make the difference?
The Redcar winger fires one in from the left, it skims over the bar and noisily ruffles the roof of the netting: close!
It's West End's turn to attack down the right. They draw a foul and the ref gives a free kick to ironic jeers from the home support. Now it's getting niggly: every tackle generates a cheer from the home contingent. This contest is running on passion.
Redcar break, with a teasing cross, but the galloping forward cannot fling himself enough to get a touch to it.
We're into stoppage time, as the West End sub pulls a chance wide from twenty yards.
We're into stoppage time, as the West End sub pulls a chance wide from twenty yards.
The whistle goes. Penalties.
At this level, cup matches don't normally do extra time, so it's straight to penalties. It's time to pick shooters and gee themselves up.
The captains are called forward for the toss: it's the river end. Redcar to shoot first, ABAB style.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored (Redcar keeper).
Scored.
Scored.
Scored (West End keeper).
Scored.
Scored.
Hits the post!
Scored!
11-10 to West End!
The captains are called forward for the toss: it's the river end. Redcar to shoot first, ABAB style.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored.
Scored (Redcar keeper).
Scored.
Scored.
Scored (West End keeper).
Scored.
Scored.
Hits the post!
Scored!
11-10 to West End!
So Sunderland are off to the next round, whilst Redcar are off back down the A19, heavy-hearted.
I'm off to the car to warm up my hands again.
I'm off to the car to warm up my hands again.
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